Petticoat or the like having built-in hem adjuster



Aug. 31, 1954 A. M. FARNUM PETTICOAT OR THE LIKE HAVING BUILT-IN HEM ADJUSTER Filed May INVENTOR. A/lce M. Emu/77 ATTOP/VEL/ Patented Aug. 31, 1954 NT OFFICE PETTICOAT OR THE LIKE HAVING BUILT-IN HEM ADJUSTER Alice M. Farnum, Kansas City, Mo. Application May 21, 1951, Serial No. 227,447

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the manufacture of wearing apparel and particularly to a combination that includes a skirt-like garment, together with means for adjusting the lowermost edge thereof.

The invention hereof has to do most particularly with ladies slips, petticoats or like undergarments wherein an aggravating problem is presented relative to maintaining the lowermost edge or hem. thereof even and particularly at such height as to be normally obscured from View by the outer garments. The problem has become enhanced since introduction of the half slip.

Accordingly, it is the most important object of the present invention to provide a number of assemblies on a skirt-like garment, each of which is individually adaptable for raising or lowering the hemline adjacent thereto by merely shortening or lengthening certain tying elements forming a part of the assemblies.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an adjusting assembly for skirtlike garments that includes a strip of fabric or other flexible material secured directly to the garment in such manner as to present a pair of side-by-side tubes, the tying elements aforementioned, being within the tubes.

Another object hereof is to present an adjusting means that includes a single length of tying tape within the tubes of each assembly respectively and having its bight so disposed as to impart a lifting action to the hem when the ends of the tape are tied, all by means of formation of pleats or rufiles in the skirt itself and in the material forming the tubular portions of the assemblies.

Additional objects include details of construction, all of which will be made clear or become'apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a petticoat or the like having a built-in hem adjuster made pursuant to my present invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one of the adjusting assemblies showing the tape untied.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the tapes tied and one assembly in a hemline raising condition; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

A skirt-like garment in the nature of a half slip is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing and broadly designated by the numeral l0. While the adjusting means of the present invention is particularly adapted for use with this type of under-garment, it is to be understood that its application is not so restricted and may be well used for various other types of similar garments.

It is common practice to provide a continuous hem I2 at the lowermost peripheral edge of the petticoat l0 and the raising or lowering of such hem I2 is the primary feature of the present invention and function of a plurality of assemblies I i mounted directly on the conventional garment In. Each assembly M, of which there 'are a plurality as desired, includes an elongated strip of material I 6 that is flexible and preferably made from a fabric, although it is contemplated that lace might well be used for purposes of appearance in the same manner as is normally provided adjacent the hemline [2. The elongated strips of material l6 are secured directly to one face of the skirt I0 by means of three parallel, spaced-apart lines of stitching I8, 211 and 22 that are substantially perpendicular to the lowermost edge or hemline l2 of the skirt I 0. These lines of stitching i8, 20 and 22 present a pair of side by-side tubes or pockets 24 and 25 that are open at the uppermost ends thereof and adapted to receive a tying tape 28.

Tape 28 is threaded in the uppermost end of tube 24 or 26 and at the lowermost ends of the tube, is threaded upwardly through the other tube to dispose the bight of the tape 28 in looped relationship to the lowermost end of the centermost line of stitching 20. The tape 28 need not be attached to the garment ID or the material #6, but it is to be preferred that the aforementioned bight be also stitched to the garment m and/or the strip l6.

Another manner of constructing the assemblies I4 is to provide a pair of separate tapes, one for each tube 2426 respectively, each having its lowermost end secured to the garment H) by stitching or other fastening means.

In use, when it is desired to adjust the hemline I 2 so far as height is concerned, either one or all of the assemblies M may be placed in use and by pulling upon the ends of tape 28 projecting above the upper ends of tubes 24 and 26, the material forming the skirt I 0 adjacent the tubes 24 and 26, as well as the material I6, will be gathered into shirring or folds such as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing and designated by the numerals 30 and 32 respectively. The tape ends are thereupon tied into a bow 34.

It is apparent that the assemblies hereof may be placed in use as desired and the extent to which the hemline I2 is shifted can be varied at difiering points therealong and it is further obvious that the use and attachment of the assemblies M to a garment of this character will not detract from its apparance or provide for any discomfort on the part of the wearer.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a woman's undergarment, a fabric skirt havtubes having the uppermost and lowermost ends thereof open, and an elongated, single length of fabric tape in the tubes and looped beneath the centermost line of stitching, said tape extending beyond the tubes at the uppermost end of said centermost line of stitching, presenting a pair of tying ends normally tied in a bow on said outermost face of the body well below said waistline thereof and across the centermost line of stitching with said strip shirred.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 58,053 Boris Sept. 18, 1866 2,470,031 Harris May 10, 1949 2,484,467 Schacht .V Oct. 11, 1949 2,632,177 McFerin Mar. 24, 1953 

